You Too Are Achilles
by Yumemakura
Summary: This is a kind of sequel to "Obsession"; Alexander/Hephaistion erotica. Aristotle gives another assignment to his students. Can Alexander and Hephaistion win the challenge?


**Prompt: Cause and Effect  
Title: You Too Are Achilles**

"It is so stupid. Why do we have to do this? I don't see any benefit to it."

Cassander complained as he cursed when the wheel of the wagon hit the bump and threw them into the air only to bring them down landing hard on the floor.

"Well, I don't think it is a total waste. We may encounter a similar situation in the future. You never know what might happen in real life, especially during war."

Ptolemy stated prudently earning a death glare from frustrated Cassander.

"I hate thinking hard. It gives me a headache."

Nearchus' abrupt mumbling earned the laughter of the group. This round-faced youth never failed to brighten up the mood with his absolutely optimistic nature. The wagon kept on moving on the rough country road. This was another assignment of Aristotle's where they would have to apply their skills of survival to the real world.

The assignment this time was to enter Moesia, and come back to Macedon going through Thracian territories in seven days without being caught. The recent movements of rebels in Thracia were becoming an annoying threat to Macedon. If the Thracians ever caught a son of a Macedonian officer, they would be sure to find a good use of him against Macedon.

Due to the nature of the risky assignment, Aristotle chose only three pairs this time; Ptolemy and Perdiccas, Cassander and Nearchus, and Alexander and Hephaistion. They were given a small sack filled with some food, wine and water pouches, a couple of fresh chitons, and some extra coins.

Once they arrived in Moesia, they were to be dropped off about ten miles apart from each other with their horses to avoid any cheating and unnecessary attention from the locals. Each group was supposed to come up with their own unique idea by themselves. It would take about three full days to the border of Thracia from where they would be dropped off, which meant that they had to put the plan and the strategy together in three days. To make the assignment more challenging, Aristotle spread a rumor in Thracia that a group of Macedonian emissaries was entering their country.

"This is not a training, but abuse. I will report this to my father."

Cassander vocally protested by threatening Aristotle, but the master just smiled.

"Be my guest, Cassander, but tell me exactly how are you going to do this?"

Cassander clenched his jaws realizing that there was no way to reach his father except by leaving the school without permission, which would cost him the automatic withdrawal from Alexander's future companions. What Cassander did not know was that Aristotle had secretly ordered the most skilled guards to watch each group from distance, yet close enough to protect them if the confrontation were to ever arise.

It had been two days since Alexander and Hephaistion were dropped off, and they were approaching the last village in Moesia before entering the border of Thracia. Yet, Alexander and Hephaistion had not had a plan how to enter Thracia, and successfully escape from there without being caught.

"We have a disadvantage here. Your golden hair would stand out, and capture so much attention, and they would know in an instant that we are foreigners."

"Well, Hephaistion, it is not only I who would be the source of danger. In my opinion, your beauty would be the one, which is more dangerous. I can hide my golden hair, but you cannot conceal your beauty."

Alexander pulled Hephaistion to him and pecked his lips.

"Alexander! I am serious."

"So am I."

"Have you come up with any ideas?"

"No, I have not. We could travel at night, but it means that we expose ourselves to the danger of being caught in the daylight where more traffic is around, unless we can secure a safe place to rest."

Hephaistion bit his lips in between his teeth, and narrowed his eyes, his well-known habit when in deep thoughts.

"Who do you imagine when you hear the word emissary, Alexander?"

"A strong solder." Alexander replied without any hesitation.

"Exactly! So all we have to avoid is looking like a soldier."

"Tell me Hephaistion, how are we exactly going to do this?"

Alexander grinned imitating Aristotle's reply to Cassander. Hephaistion grinned back, as his eyes shone in mischief.

"Do you see a dress and a cloak over there?" Hephaistion pointed out a corner of the market they were approaching.

Alexander's eyes grew big, as he understood what Hephaistion was thinking.

"No way Hephaistion! There is no way I am dressing up like a woman. I am a prince not a sissy princess."

"Would you call Achilles sissy princess then? You too are Achilles aren't you?"

Alexander did not like where Hephaistion's mind was going.

"Yes, but …"

"No but. It is a known fact that your hero Achilles once dressed up as a girl for a good cause. Why can't you? Thracians would not doubt a couple of a husband and a wife traveling together. They would believe that we were just passing by."

Thinking hard trying to get out of this mess, Alexander came up with an even more brilliant idea.

"All right, I'll do it. But on one condition."

Hephaistion raised his eyebrow and asked curiously.

"What is it?"

"I'll do it only if you do it, too. It will be better if two women are traveling together, then they would never doubt. We can be cousins."

"But, women do not travel by themselves."

"If they ask anything, then we tell them that we were attacked by bandits in the mountains, and our husbands were killed for protecting us. They would feel pity for us before doubting for sure."

Hephaistion could not argue any further because he knew that Alexander was correct. None would suspect two women traveling together as being emissaries. After the deal was made, they went into the market and shopped for a dress and cloak pretending to buy them for their wives. They both bought simple white dresses, and a black cloak for Alexander and a midnight blue one for Hephaistion for an easy camouflage at night.

The merchant also convinced them to purchase scented oil in a beautiful ceramic pot, and charcoal powder mixed with olive oil and red ochre mixed with bees wax in handsome little alabaster containers for their sweet ladies.

They traveled further away from the village that afternoon, and spent a night in an abandoned cottage which the villagers used when they gathered fire wood late in autumn, so that they could change into a dress in the morning without anybody noticing their transformations. When Alexander woke up with the songs of birds, the entrance of the cottage was already glowing with the gentle ray of the rising sun through the cracks of the door. Tiny speckles reflected the lights, and sparkled like jewels in the ray, they moved as if they were dancing to the silent harmony. Drinking in a glorious sight, Alexander unconsciously extended his arm to search for the warmth of Hephaistion, but his hand only touched a surface of soft fur.

He got up, and walked toward the door and swung it open. The air was filled with the fresh scent of early summer morning, and the short grass looked so alive covered with tiny dews. Alexander spotted Hephaistion at the edge of the small lake. He had already changed into a dress. He had put his long hair up into a loose bun and tied a blue ribbon around it. Alexander smiled, and walked up to him very carefully not to make any noise, so that he could catch him in surprise.

Hephaistion knelt over the lake, supporting himself with one hand on the soft grass, and dipping his other hand into the clear cool water. His hip was raised high in the air to keep the balance. Alexander's heart sped up when he saw the clear outline of the gentle curve of Hephaistion's bottom through the sleek thin materials.

Hephaistion noticed the noise, but it was too late. Alexander was already right behind him. Before he could get up, Alexander lowered himself to grab Hephaistion by the waist, and pulled him closer while kissing Hephaistion's exposed nape. When he turned Hephaistion around in his arms to face him, a gasp escaped from Alexander's mouth. Hephaistion's eyes were highlighted with black coals, which bought up his intense blues even more. A faint red on his lips defined the perfect shapes. He was even more beautiful and elegant than goddess Aphrodite.

Hephaistion lowered his gaze feeling a little too uneasy with Alexander's intense stare. Alexander put his forefinger under Hephaistion's chin, and lifted it up until Hephaistion's eyes were forced to meet his.

"So beautiful …."

Alexander murmured with a raspy voice. The crimson color rose up on Hephaistion's pale cheeks, and he smiled sheepishly. Alexander licked Hephaistion's lips tracing the edge of the upper lip and slowly moved around to the bottom lip. A surge of desire ran through Hephaistion's spine, and the moan escaped into Alexander's mouth. Hephaistion's whole body heated up, and melted into Alexander's sweet embrace.

Alexander could no longer contain his desire either. He pulled Hephaistion on his feet, dragged him back to the cabin, and gently guided him back to the fur bed. One of Hephaistion's orbs turned into mysterious violet color in the shade, and the other turned into deepest blue in the sun. Both were swimming in the waves of yearning. Alexander felt his soul was pulled deep into the two colored pools, and he too was lost in the waves of passion.

Alexander pushed a strand of hair away from Hephaistion's face, and brought Hephaistion's arms over the head while interlacing their fingers, pinning the beauty tightly under his body. The contrast of Hephaistion's soft feature and his hard muscular body stirred up unbelievable excitements in Alexander. He sucked Hephaistion's exposed throat and gradually moved down onto his heaving chest, and nipped rosy buds. Hephaistion moaned loudly and withered under the touch, making Alexander press against him even harder.

Their clothes were soon replaced with a sheer coating of their own sweats. The heavenly aroma of scented oil and the sounds of constant whimper and moan filled the cottage. As Alexander thrust harder and faster, the moans from two lovers entwined in the air and ended with loud screams of calling each other's names. They lay on the fur bed sedated with ecstasy and unable to move.

When their heavy breathing finally became normal, Alexander got on his elbow and looked down upon Hephaistion. The coals around his eyes were smudged, and his loosely tied hair was mostly undone giving him a look of vulnerable beauty.

"We should try this once in a while, even after finishing our assignment."

Alexander whispered while gently stroking Hephaistion's messed up hair.

"Only if we switch roles next time, and if you would let me enjoy the beautiful view of you, my Achilles."

"It's a deal."

Alexander and Hephaistion completed their task with no problem. Except Alexander was not happy at all when he saw every single man they met tried very hard to get into Hephaistion's dress. Hephaistion had to pull Alexander back more than once, and reminded him that he was not a warrior, but was dressed as a woman. As soon as they crossed the border back into Macedon, they cleaned up their faces at the stream, and changed back to chitons.

When they arrived in Mieza, Cassander and Nearchus were already there. Alexander was a little disappointed for not winning the challenge, but he was too happy to stay gloomy with the memory of the unforgettable experience he had gained. It was almost getting dark when exhausted Ptolemy and Perdiccas finally came back to Mieza barely making the cut off time. After giving them a chance to recoup, Aristotle gathered them all for the celebration banquet.

When it came to the moment for Aristotle to announce the winner of the challenge, Cassander cheerfully stated.

"We should be the winner since we made it back first."

"Yes, Cassander, you and Nearchus were the first to complete the mission successfully, but I cannot agree that you have competed fairly."

"What do you mean? We did what was required."

"Barely. You stayed as close as you could to the border of Moesia all the way back to Macedon. As a matter of fact, you actually came back through Moesian territory at the last part. It cost you a penalty point."

"How do you know?" Amazed Nearchus screamed while Cassander cursed under his breath and murmured, "I should have never listened to Nearchus about making a short cut."

"Well", Aristotle took a breath before continuing, "Did you honestly think that I left you in the middle of the wolf pack with no protection? Most skilled guards were looking after you and watching your every move just in case you got into trouble. They know about everything you did."

Aristotle did not miss seeing both Alexander and Hephaistion exchanged a worried glance, but he pretended that he did not notice anything.

"Ptolemy and Perdiccas, you took the most conventional and safe way by moving during the night, but it was the hardest way as well, since you could not use any lighting to be cautious."

"Yes, we got lost several times, and we fell numerous times loosing our footing in the dark." Ptolemy agreed, and Perdiccas nodded.

"And Alexander and Hephaistion, I was most impressed with your creativity and bold move. I also heard that the guards enjoyed your plan very much. So you are the winner for this challenge."

Alexander and Hephaistion's faces turned into crimson red, and the rest of the team questioned in unison.

"How did they do it?"

Aristotle gently smiled at Alexander and Hephaistion and hushed the rest.

"I can just say that it was a rare case of satisfying all seven causes of human actions; chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, and desire."

Aristotle laughed delightfully, and left the still blushing Alexander and Hephaistion, and the puzzled others behind.

End


End file.
